Portable seat



April 29, 1969 v R. s. DUFFIELD 3,441,314

PORTABLE SEAT Filed July 19, 1967 //vv /v TOR mam r s. DUFF/EL o ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,441,314 PORTABLE SEAT Robert S. Duflield 3430 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19140 Filed July 19, 1967, Ser. No. 654,590 Int. Cl. A47c 3/00 US. Cl. 297-377 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to portable seats and more particularly to a portable seat for enabling a person to sit adjacent the ground comfortably.

Many people prefer watching television while sitting on the floor of their television room. However, sitting on the floor is often uncomfortable because the back of the person is not supported properly for easy lounging. Pillows and other soft supporting means have been used but are inadequate because they do not provide the necessary support for the back of the individual to be comfortable.

Similarly, conventional seats are inadequate at the beach because the legs sink into the sand and thus do not stand solidly. Also, conventional seats do not provide support for the back without being too bulky to carry to the beach.

It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved portable seat which sits adjacent the floor or the ground and which adequately supports the back of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved portable seat which may rest on the floor or ground and which includes a supporting member which enables adjustment of the angle of the backrest of the seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved portable seat which is comfortable for sitting on the floor or the ground, but which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to carry.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a portable seat having a backrest portion and a lower portion which are connected by an integral junction. The lower portion extends from the junction at an angle from the back portion at the bottom of the seat. The seat also includes a support member for the backrest portion so that the seat is solely supported by the support member and the junction, both of which rest against the ground.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable seat embodying the invention per se;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 2 with sections removed for purposes of clarity;

3,441,314 Patented Apr. 29, 1969 "ice FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the connection between the support member and the backrest of the portable seat embodying the invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the connection between the support member and the backrest shown within circle 5 in FIG. 3.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, a portable seat is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1.

. Seat 10 basically comprises a backrest portion 12 and a lower portion 14 which are connected by an integral junction. As best seen in FIG. 2, the lower portion 14 extends at an angle from the backrest portion 12. Seat 10 also includes a supporting member 16 which is connected toiand supports the backrest portion. The backrest portion 12 and the lower portion 14 are generally planar and are. preferably integrally formed. The backrest portion and the lower member are comprised of a tubular frame 18 which is generally U-shaped and basically comprises a horizontally extending straight web 20 and a pair of somewhat L-shaped legs 22 and 24. The legs 22 and 24 are secured to a horizontally extending tubular rod 26 at. opposite ends thereof, as best seen in FIG. 3. Rod 26 preferably includes at each end a pair of plastic caps 28 which prevent the ends of the rod causing cuts or snagging clothing.

The seat further includes a rod 30 which extends between the legs 22 and 24 parallel to the rod 26 of the frame and maintains the Spacing between the legs adjacent the lowermost portion of the seat. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the legs 22 and 24 each include a long straight portion 32 and a short straight portion 34 which are connected together by an arcuate portion 36. The arcuate portions 36 of legs 22 and 24 form the integral junction between the backrest portion and the lower portion which rests upon the ground when the seat is in use.

The seat 10 also includes a webbing. The webbing is in the form of transversely extending strips 38 and longitudinally extending strips 40 which are connected in a conventional manner between opposing portions of the frame 18 and are interwoven to form a soft resilient portion for comfortable sitting.

The webbing is preferably comprised of nylon or a theromplastic material which will conform to the body of the person sitting in the seat without stretching out of shape.

While webbing comprised of strips is preferred, the webbing may also be comprised of wooden slats or of formed plastic in place of the strips.

Support member 16 is secured to the straight portions 32 of legs 22 and 24 by mounting brackets 42.

As best seen in FIG. 5, brackets 42 are basically comprised of a pair of generally semicircular plates 44 and 46 which are welded to opposite sides of the straight portions 32 of the legs 22 and 24 of the frame. Plate 44 of the brackets 42 faces outwardly and includes a plurality of openings 48 which are spaced adjacent the arcuate periphery of the plate 44.

Plates 44 and 46 further include a pair of aligned openings in which a pin 50 which is preferably secured by a press fit is mounted for pivotably securing the supporting member 16.

The support member 16 is basically comprised of a U-shaped tubular rod having a straight web 52 and a pair of straight leg portions 54 and 56. The leg portions 54 and 56 each have an opening extending transversely therethrough adjacent the end thereof for accommodating pin 50 for pivotably securing the support member 16 to the backrest portion of the seat 10. Each of the legs 54 and 56 further includes a locking means 58 which is best seen in FIG. 5.

Locking means 58 basically comprises a cylindrical insert 60 having a longitudinally slidable finger 62 secured therein. Finger 62 includes a cylindrical boss 64 Which is slidably secured in said insert adjacent a helical spring 65. The helical spring 65 bears against boss 64 and tends to urge finger 62 out of said insert. The finger 62 is urged out of the insert through an opening 66 and one of the openings 48 which are provided in the leg 54 of the supporting member 16 and the plate 44 of the mounting bracket 42, respectively. The finger 62 of each of the locking means 58 can be pressed into the insert 60 so that the legs 54 and 56 of the supporting member 16 may be pivoted to any one of three locking positions in accordance with the openings 48 provided in each of the mounting brackets 42. Also, the support member 16 can be brought fiat against the frame 18 so that the supporting member will be folded flat against the seat for storage purposes or carrying thereof. An opening similar to openings 48 may also be provided in each of the mounting brackets 42 parallel to the legs 32 of the frame 18 to lock the supporting member in a closed position.

In operation, the support member 16 is pivoted away from the backrest so that the finger 62 of each of the legs 54 and 56 is urged into one of the openings 48 of the plate 44 of the mounting brackets 42 depending on which position is most comfortable for the user. The support member thus rests directly on the ground as does the junction formed of the arcuate portions 36 of the frame 18. The person using the seat may therefore sit on the ground, yet have his back comfortably supported as well as the lower portion of the body amply propped for comfortable sitting either in a television room or on the beach.

The seat is both attractive and inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, due to its simple construction, it is also very light in weight and may be carried easily to picnics and easily moved around a home, yet is comfortable enough for watching television for hours.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention, that others may by applying cur- 4 rent or future knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A portable seat comprising a backrest portion and a lower portion which are connected by an integral junction, said lower portion extending upwardly from said junction at an angle from said back portion at the bottom of said seat, said seat further including a support member for said backrest portion so that said seat is solely supported by said support member and said junction, both of which rest against the ground, said lower portion acting to prop the lower portion of a person off the ground.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said support member is pivotably secured to said backrest portion so that said support member may be pivoted from the supporting position to a closed position for ease of storage and carrying.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said support member may be locked into a plurality of positions at different angles with respect to said backrest portion.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said backrest portion, lower portion and the junction between are formed of a generally U-shaped frame which is secured to a straight portion at the legs thereof.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the inner portion of said seat is comprised of a webbing having interwoven plastic strips which extend between opposing portions of said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,219,437 3/1917 Butler 297377 1,865,030 6/1932 McCauley.

2,040,942 5/1936 Katenkamp 297369 XR 2,373,751 4/1945 Flint 297302 2,710,050 6/1955 Du Bois 297377 3,198,475 8/1965 Flahive 297369 XR 3,342,294 9/1967 Beatty 297377 XR BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. GLENN O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

